Wednesday, Dec 10, 2014 uso.org

Inside the Longest Bombing Run Ever

 By Dr. Mel Deaile

More than 14 years ago, America suffered the most devastating attack on its homeland. Once the debris and dust settled from the collapse of the twin towers, it became clear America had to respond.

Standing atop a pile of rubble at ground zero 13 days after the attack, President George W. Bush told first responders, “I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”

Addressing Congress and the nation a week later, Bush said, “Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.” While the president was making the case for action in the face of 9/11, at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, the home of the B-2 stealth bomber, crews were already preparing for whatever military action the president ordered.

Whiteman sits about an hour east of Kansas City in the one-stoplight town of Knob Noster, Missouri. Since 1993, it has been the permanent home for America’s entire fleet of B-2 Spirit bombers. Although the initial plans were to create a fleet of 132 bombers, the end of the Cold War reduced that purchase to just 21 aircraft. Although each bomber has a tail number, it also has a moniker. The first 20 B-2s were named after a state in the union. The first B-2 named was the Spirit of Missouri, recognizing the home of America’s most advanced aircraft. The second B-2 was named the Spirit of California for the state where most of the assembly and testing of the aircraft had been performed. The last B-2 entered operation in 2000 and was simply named the Spirit of America.

Dr. Mel Deaile retired from the Air Force in 2014 as a colonel and now teaches at Air University in Alabama. | Photo credit Photo by Michael Ritz

One only has to look at the aircraft to realize its unique design. Not only does it resemble Jack Northrop’s concept of the flying wing, but it houses three computers working in parallel to operate its highly complex fly-by-wire design. While the B-52 and B-1 bombers have crews of five and four people respectively, the B-2’s digital cockpit design and redundant navigation system reduced the crew to just two people. Furthermore, the B-2 was the only aircraft initially capable of delivering the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) when it made its combat debut in 1999 over the skies of Yugoslavia during Operation Allied Force. Two years later, the B-2 would again lead the fight in a different part of the world.

On the morning of 9/11, a majority of the operational B-2 fleet was taking part in a Strategic Command exercise that had aircrews sitting in their jets monitoring radios. Just when the crews expected a transmission terminating the exercise, the opposite happened. Aircrews were ordered to assume a higher state of readiness and remain at their jets. Word spread throughout the fleet that a jet had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. With news of the second plane hitting the other tower, the entire force knew the implication. This was no accident. America was under attack.

For the next two days, B-2 crews would remain with their jets ready to respond. The exercise eventually ended, but the preparations did not. The 509th Bomb Wing identified six crews that would fly the initial B-2 missions, if called upon. For the next three weeks, these crews flew simulators and actual flights practicing their procedures and coordination. During his speech to Congress, Bush said, “The Taliban must act and act immediately. They will hand over the terrorists, or they will share in their fate.” Holding true to his warning, operations over Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, less than a month after 9/11.

I came to the B-2 program in 1998 having previously flown the B-52 bomber for nine years. Upon completing B-2 initial qualification training in 1999, I served as a B-2 wing weapons officer, B-2 instructor pilot, and then assistant director of operations in the 393rd Bomb Squadron.

The other pilot on the mission, Brian “Jethro” Neal, came to the B-2 program having flown a tour in the F-16 Falcon at Hill Air Force Base.

We both came to the base on October 6, 2001, expecting our normal routine. We would review the mission, conduct simulator training, debrief, go home and return the next day. That night was different. As we arrived, the word was the first B-2s were to launch. Brian and I manned the spare aircraft the first night, meaning that if one of the first two aircraft broke, we would have an aircraft ready to go. When the first two aircraft got airborne, we shut down ours and went home.

We arrived at the base the next night and the planners informed us that we were to lead the formation for the second night of attacks in Afghanistan. Following a mission-specific brief and a brief among the formation, we reported to our jet where another crew already had the planes started and ready to go. We strapped in and taxied out to the runway with operators and maintenance folks lining the taxi route to salute the aircraft, knowing that these aircraft would soon be bringing justice to our enemies. Once airborne, I looked at Brian and asked, “What jet do we have anyway?” Looking at the aircraft maintenance logs, he replied, “The Spirit of America.”

A B-2 bomber refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a deployment to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. | Photo credit Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Val Gempis

About four hours into the mission, we approached the California coast for our first air refueling. For operations security reasons, the decision was made to fly the B-2s across the Pacific Ocean to their ultimate targets in Afghanistan. The sun was just starting to rise on the east coast as we approached the KC-135 refueling aircraft. We topped off our tanks and settled in for the next leg of our mission, which was the four-hour flight to Hawaii for our next air refueling. While the B-2 is a two-person aircraft, operating rules say two people only have to be in the seats during critical phases of flight: takeoff, air refueling, landing and, of course, bombing. Between refuelings, Brian and I took turns trying to get a few hours of rest in the modified “cot” behind the two ejection seats.

The pattern of meeting a much-needed gas station in the air happened at least three more times en route to Afghanistan. Our formation met tankers over Guam, through the Straits of Malacca and in the Indian Ocean, close to Diego Garcia. The voyage across the Pacific Ocean took more than 24 hours. Since the sun was coming up in the east as we started our voyage west, we traveled in daylight throughout our trek across the Pacific. The air refueling over the Indian Ocean was the last before we reached Afghanistan. We turned north and headed up the coast of India to our destination.

By the time we approached the Pakistani coast, two things happened. First, the sunlight that had accompanied us the entire journey slowly went away. In order to fight off the release of melatonin that comes at that moment, the flight doctor had given each crew member an approved “pick me up pill” to make sure everyone was alert going into combat. Second, 70 percent of the targets we stepped out the door with back in Missouri had changed. This meant reprogramming the targets for a majority of the 16 JDAMs that filled the two bomb bays on the B-2. That night, we conducted bombing runs on multiple targets throughout Afghanistan with the primary mission being to secure air superiority for air forces that would conduct subsequent attacks. During some bomb runs, we used the B-2’s onboard synthetic aperture radar to put eyes on target in order to refine target coordinates before releasing our JDAMs. After spending about two hours over enemy territory, we exited the country and headed for the last tanker that would give us the gas for our last leg of the journey. A radio call came over secure communications that the Air Operations Center wanted to know if we would be willing to head back into country since we had four JDAMs remaining. We accepted the mission.

With gas running low, we orbited in the Arabian Sea waiting for a tanker that would give us the fuel necessary for another trip into Afghanistan. While Brian got the fuel, I programmed the mission. With fuel onboard and a mission loaded, we commenced another journey into Afghanistan to strike the identified target. After 90 minutes, we exited Afghanistan a second time to find a waiting tanker to provide the fuel we needed reach Diego Garcia, our final destination.

Four hours later, we were approaching the u-shaped island, ready to touch land for the first time in 44 hours. The B-52 that landed immediately before us had an emergency upon landing forcing us to “go around.” After having been airborne for 44 hours, we enjoyed the 15-minute flight over the island.

We touched down after being 44.3 hours in the air. For Brian and I, the mission was over, but not for the Spirit of America. While we unloaded our gear, maintenance troops put oil into the running engines of the B-2. A fresh crew of two B-2 pilots got on board and within 45 minutes the stealth bomber was airborne for its 30-hour journey back to Missouri. While we flew more than 44 hours on our mission, the Spirit of America and five other B-2s operated for more than 70 hours without stopping. Not one aircraft broke or encountered engine trouble during the first three days. It is a true testament to the incredible engineering and design of the aircraft.

Earlier this year, I retired from the Air Force as a colonel. Brian, now a colonel (select), transitioned to the reserves, where he flies the Air Force’s most advanced aircraft—the F-22 Raptor. More importantly, the Spirit of America continues to serve the country from its home in Knob Noster, Missouri, and will do so long after Brian and me.

Of all the aircraft that could have flown the longest combat mission in aviation history, perhaps it was serendipity or providence that it was the Spirit of America that made that journey. The aircraft that represented the country showed that America will fly any distance, cover any ground and overcome any obstacle to bring justice to its enemies when she is attacked⍐.

_________________

குறிப்பு; Wednesday, Dec 10, 2014 uso.org இந்தக் கட்டுரை 10 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முந்தியது.ENB

Israel claims Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed

Israel says Sinwar was killed on Wednesday in southern Gaza. PM Netanyahu says score is ‘settled’.

Israel says its forces have killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.

The Israeli military said on Thursday that Sinwar was killed on Wednesday in southern Gaza.

“After completing the process of identifying the body, it can be confirmed that Yahya Sinwar was eliminated,” the Israeli military said.

“The dozens of operations carried out by the [Israeli military] and ISA [Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service,] over the last year and in recent weeks in the area where he was eliminated restricted Yahya Sinwar’s operational movement as he was pursued by the forces and led to his elimination.”

Hamas has not commented on the Israeli claims. Israel has been conducting a war on Gaza since October last year, killing more than 42,000 Palestinians, the vast majority of them civilians. That followed Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel, in which 1,139 people were killed.

The Israeli army and police carried out DNA checks to confirm Sinwar’s identity after it said its forces in Gaza had killed three people.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to take the plaudits for Sinwar’s killing but added that it did not mean the war on Gaza was over.

“Today we have settled the score. Today evil has been dealt a blow, but our task has still not been completed,” Netanyahu said in a recorded video statement. “To the dear hostage families, I say: This is an important moment in the war. We will continue full force until all your loved ones, our loved ones, are home.”

Nearly 250 people were taken captive from Israel during the October 7, 2023, attacks. About half have been released, and about 70 are believed to still be held in Gaza.

Assassinations

Sinwar, 62, was one of the masterminds behind the October 7 attacks on Israel and has been a prime target for Israel since then.

Chosen as Hamas’s leader in Gaza in 2017, he had previously been held in an Israeli prison for 22 years before being released as part of a prisoner swap in 2011.

Disciplined and determined, he was focused on fighting Israel.

Hind Hassan, a journalist who was one of the last people to interview Sinwar in 2021, said he told her Palestinians were expected to be “perfect victims, and that’s something that they cannot be”.

His claimed death comes months after the July assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political leader, in Tehran. Israel is believed to have been behind the killing.

Sinwar had been chosen as Hamas’s overall leader after Haniyeh’s killing.

Israel also claimed to have killed Hamas’s military chief, Mohammed Deif, in August although that has not been confirmed by the Palestinian group.

Outside Gaza, an Israeli attack in Beirut on September 27 killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas that has been locked in a conflict with Israel since October 8, 2023, saying its attacks were being conducted in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The war on Gaza has sparked a regional conflict, including groups such as the Houthis in Yemen, and even Iran, which conducted an unprecedented direct missile attack on Israel on October 1 in retaliation for the killings of Nasrallah and Haniyeh.

An Israeli attack on Iran is expected and could potentially drag in the United States, which has sent a missile defence system and soldiers to Israel.

Families of captives waiting

People in Israel have celebrated the claims that Sinwar is dead, and family members of captives said they hoped a deal to secure the release of their relatives could now be secured.

“This is a critical, time-sensitive development as it relates to the hostages. Their lives are in great danger now more than ever,” said Orna Neutra, whose son Omer is being held in Gaza. “We’re calling on the Israeli government and the US administration to act swiftly and do whatever is needed to reach a deal with the captors.”

Israel has refused to agree a captive release deal that would also see a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners despite attempts by several countries to secure an agreement and Hamas’s stated receptiveness.

Instead, Netanyahu has called for a total victory over Hamas and has promised not to end the war until that happens.

In Gaza, many don’t believe that Sinwar’s killing will bring forward an end to the war.

“Sinwar’s killing will not stop the war because it is a war on the Palestinian cause and Palestinian existence,” said Salah Musleh, living in central Gaza. “Israel assassinated Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh, [deputy chairman of the political bureau] Saleh al-Arouri, and today Sinwar, but the war has not stopped to this day. We are proud of this end to Sinwar.”

By Al Jazeera Staff 17 Oct 2024  

Published On 17 Oct 2024

Additional reporting by Maram Humaid in Deir el-Balah, Gaza.

Published On 17 Oct 202417 Oct 2024

Making of a new constitution

13 Oct 2024 | By Maneesha Dullewe The Morning

Despite the new Government’s stated plans for a new constitution, it remains to be seen whether and how such a constitution will come to pass. 

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, responding to inquiries from the Maha Sangha recently, said that he hoped to introduce a new constitution, emphasising that it would only be done following discussions and a referendum. 

He further pointed out that previous governments had implemented constitutional amendments without public consensus, pledging instead to introduce an amendment that would meet the expectations of the people. 

‘A real possibility’ 

Given this backdrop, addressing the likelihood of a new constitution, constitutional expert Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, PC told The Sunday Morning that there was a real possibility of constitutional reform in the offing. 

“The National People’s Power (NPP) is now in power and it is likely to get at least a working majority in Parliament. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), which is likely to be the main party in the opposition, has also committed itself to several important constitutional changes like the abolition of the executive presidency, stronger devolution, institutions at the village level to empower the people – which is a demand of the ‘Aragalaya,’ and the widening of the fundamental rights chapter.

“Whether it will be a new constitution or a wide-ranging amendment, we don’t know – that’s a matter for the Government. But because the two main parties agree on many of these issues, I think there is a real possibility of having meaningful constitutional reform.”

However, he noted that any such change “must be effected preferably within the first year of Parliament, not later,” since any later implementation could lead to complications. 

“The danger is that if the amendment of the new constitution comes later in the term of Parliament, other issues will come up. It won’t be a referendum on the constitutional amendment or the new constitution but a referendum on the Government’s performance,” he explained.  

Accordingly, he expressed his view that should the Government opt for a referendum, it must be held as early as possible, “so that the chances of getting it approved by the people are higher”.

Legally, in order to have a new constitution, consensus among the main political parties is required. “A two-third majority in Parliament is essential, meaning a broad consensus across parties is necessary,” Dr. Wickramaratne noted. 

“Enough and more drafts are available on these issues because constitutional reform has been attempted successfully and unsuccessfully for the last so many years. It is a question of political parties agreeing to the changes.”

He further stressed that a new constitution was a necessity, saying: “The present Constitution has failed and it is based on the executive presidency. If we abolish the executive presidency, ideally, we should have a new constitution, since for abolition, you need to go before people at a referendum in any case. Therefore, the best option is to have a new constitution.”

However, if this is not possible for any reason, he advocated having “the broadest possible constitutional reform” instead. 

NPP/Govt. pledges 

On the campaign trail, Dissanayake said the NPP planned to “rapidly conclude the process that began in 2015-2019” and draft a new constitution based on equality and democracy and where everyone could participate in governance as one country. The draft constitution will seek to “devolve power politically and administratively to every Local Government body, district, and province, and guarantee the political participation of every ethnicity”. 

Speaking at the first-ever Cabinet press briefing of the new Government on 1 October, Minister Vijitha Herath said that a draft constitution would be presented to the public for a referendum once the new government has been formed.  

In a Centre for Policy Alternatives ‘Voice of Citizens’ publication contributing to the dialogue on drafting a new constitution, published in the aftermath of the ‘Aragalaya’ of 2022, now Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya had said: “We think a new constitution is absolutely essential. We have come to the limits of this current Constitution. 

“We have severe problems with the existing Constitution. We critique the Constitution, especially the executive presidential system; we think this can no longer be tinkered with and a new constitution is required.”

Tamil political perspective

Meanwhile, former MP and Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) Leader C.V. Wigneswaran told The Sunday Morning that the new Government had yet to call upon them for any input on matters concerning a new constitution. 

He however stressed that Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka would welcome any new constitution under certain conditions. 

“If they accept the fact that the Tamil-speaking people are the majority in the north and east, with a history of their own, and therefore are entitled to be considered as a special unit of the population of this country, we will certainly welcome the constitution that will be put forward. We will give all possible support with regard to that.”

He explained: “We have a right to be recognised as an individual nation and we, as a nation, joining the Sinhala-speaking nation, can formulate whatever possible constitution that would be acceptable. Tamil-speaking people don’t consider ourselves minorities because we are the majority in the north and east.”

Stressing that the Tamil-speaking people of the north and east had a history of over 3,000 years as original inhabitants of this country, he said: “What I would ask the Government is to accept the fact that under Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a group of people having certain qualifications are entitled to nationhood. We have all those qualifications; we have a language of our own, area of our own, and culture of our own.”

13th Amendment and devolution 

With issues surrounding the devolution of power being some of the most contentious in Sri Lankan constitutional reform, the approach towards the 13th Amendment becomes significant. 

According to Dr. Wickramaratne, there are a number of issues with the 13th Amendment given its flawed nature. “Through experience, we have seen that it allows the centre to take back with the left hand what has been given with the right hand. Therefore, clear-cut provisions are needed in regard to devolution so that devolution is meaningful.”

Commenting on the constitutional model that Tamil parties would support, Wigneswaran said: “Our leaders have always been asking for a federal constitution. In fact, my party asked for a confederal constitution so that there won’t be many problems between the two segments of the country. 

“We are all for being able to have the right of self-determination for ourselves within one country. In that sense, it (the new constitution) should have the characteristics of a federal constitution. But if the Government is concerned regarding federalism being a much-maligned concept among the Sinhalese people, we could work out something by which the right of self-determination is ensured with regard to the north and east.”

Stressing that the 13th Amendment was insufficient since the provinces came under the control of the central government under a unitary constitution, he said: “The 13th Amendment is absolutely insufficient, since all decisions taken with regard to the money that has to be brought in, etc., is made by the centre and the governor, who is the central government’s nominee.”

Moreover, he explained that the original salient features of the 13th Amendment were no longer extant in the current Constitution. 

“Under the 13th Amendment, the government agent, district secretary, and Grama Sevaka were brought under the control of the provincial council, but by Act No.58 of 1992, Ranasinghe Premadasa took this away and handed it over to the central government. Therefore, what was originally in the 13th Amendment is no more, since they have taken away some of the more salient features of the amendment.”

In terms of the new constitution, “it all depends on the nature of the constitution that is being prepared,” he said, adding that former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s draft constitution of 2000 was fairly acceptable, “though not up to our expectations”. 

According to him, the council of regions mentioned in the 2000 draft could be the basis for a new constitution and much of this draft can be taken to prepare a new constitution. 

Meanwhile, attempts to reach Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Minister Herath for comment proved futile.⍐

Archdiocese of Los Angeles to pay $880M in sexual abuse settlement

Archdiocese of Los Angeles to pay $880M in sexual abuse settlement

The agreement, believed to be the largest single settlement of its kind by a Catholic archdiocese, will settle 1,353 claims of childhood sexual abuse.

By Kelsey Ables Updated October 17, 2024 WP

Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez, center, during a Mass in Los Angeles in 2020.
“My hope is that this settlement will provide some measure of healing for what these men and
women have suffered,” he wrote in a letter dated Wednesday. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $880 million to settle more than 1,300 claims of childhood sexual abuse. The sprawling agreement is believed to be the largest single child sexual abuse settlement with a Catholic archdiocese and comes after a state law provided a three-year window to revive past civil claims of sexual abuse involving minors.

Some of the claims date to the 1940s, and the acts are alleged to have been perpetrated by archdiocesan clergy, lay people and religious order priests and clergy from other dioceses who were serving in Los Angeles, a letter from Archbishop José H. Gomez said. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is the largest Catholic diocese in the United States.

“I am sorry for every one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart,” Gomez wrote in the letter. “My hope is that this settlement will provide some measure of healing for what these men and women have suffered.”

In a joint statement with an attorney for the archdiocese Wednesday, the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel expressed appreciation for the archdiocese “acknowledging its failures that enabled and perpetuated the harm that came to these children” and said that, “while there is no amount of money that can replace what was taken from these 1353 brave individuals who have suffered in silence for decades, there is justice in accountability.”

After the window for reviving claims closed, the archdiocese and attorneys for the plaintiffs underwent mediation last fall to seek a resolution that would allow defendants to provide compensation to victims, while also allowing the archdiocese to continue operating, the statement said.

Gomez said in his letter that funding for the settlement will come from “reserves, investments, and loans, along with other Archdiocesan assets,” and not from donations.

The Catholic Church has been grappling for years with the history of sexual abuse in its institutions around the world, rattling its members, who total more than 1.3 billion, and taking a toll on its reputation.

Allegations of sexual abuse have come from attendees of Catholic institutions in numerous countries including Costa Rica,  Chile,  Italy,  Ireland, Australia and Canada.

Earlier this year, a Washington Post investigation found that for decades, Catholic priests, brothers and sisters sexually abused Native American children at remote U.S. boarding schools they were forced to attend.

In 2007, the same archdiocese in Los Angeles settled sexual abuse lawsuits involving more than 500 alleged victims for $660 million — the largest sexual abuse settlement by a diocese until this week. The new settlement brings the cumulative payout from the archdiocese to more than $1.5 billion.

The situation in California received renewed attention after the state passed a 2019 law that opened a three-year window in which cases were exempted from age limits and allowed alleged victims of sexual abuse to sue up to the age of 40. That window closed at the end of 2022. More than 3,000 lawsuits were filed against the Catholic Church in the state during the window. Facing an influx of suits, the dioceses of Oakland, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Rosa and San Diego filed for bankruptcy.

Responding to Wednesday’s news, Morgan A. Stewart, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in the statement, “The massive amount of this settlement reflects the amount of grievous harm done to vulnerable children and the decades of neglect, complicity and cover-up by the Archdiocese.” He urged other institutions in the Catholic Church “to meet their responsibilities and take accountability.”

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called the settlement “a good start” but said in a statement that “much work remains to be done.”

“We fear and believe there are many more survivors out there who have not yet come forward,” said SNAP Board of Directors Treasurer Dan McNevin. “It is incumbent on Archbishop José H. Gomez to find a way to bring those lost souls in from the cold⍐.”